Historical Traveler Reviews Olallieberry Inn Cambria

A must stay at the Olallieberry Inn

from anonymous

My wife and I stayed one night only on our drive from L.A. to San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to take advantage of a last minute cancellation on the Presidents Holiday Week-end . This was our first experience with B and B's in the States being from Australia we didn't know what to expect other than what was in the reviews. We found the "Inn Keeper" Marjory to be very hospitable and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Particularly enjoyable was the opportunity to meet other guests between 5pm and 6pm when complimentary wine and "nibbles" were served. We met two couples who having met at the Inn five years earlier had been returning each Presidents Week-End since to catch up. We also met the cast from "Friends" three American couples enjoying a week-end away. If you are looking for a restaurant try the Sow's Ear, be sure to book, as I'm sure you won't be disappointed. We can recommend the Creek side Room as this is were we stayed but I imagine all rooms would be equally well appointed as everybody we met was full of praise for the Inn at breakfast the next morning. If you have the time allow a day to explore the arts and crafts stores and don't miss seeing Hearst's Castle (tip - see the short movie before talking one of the tours) and the Elephant Seals by the road. Driving north from L.A. we didn't really start to enjoy the scenery until hitting Cambria. Olallieberry Inn - a great place to stay any number of nights for the young and not so young.

Terrific place for quality R&R

from snow557

Our trip to the Olallieberry was wonderful, the staff really does treat you like family. The food was very good and portions large. We stayed in the Sunrise room, very tranquil, private deck looking over the stream. Very short walk to East village area. Had a good dinner at Robin's. Very clean and well run B&B. You won't be disappointed to include this inn in your trip.

Overpriced; not too special.

from anonymous

Context to help gentle reader: My wife and I stayed one night before visiting Hearst Castle. Our expectations were high: We had read excellent reviews of the Olallieberry Inn in a old guidebook. We look for something special when staying at a B&B -- we want a memorable experience. :)

The review:

Overall, this was the biggest disappointment of a trip around Santa Barbara / San Simeon. For an expensive area, I still think it was not a great value for money.

First, the positives: This B&B had a good location for exploring San Simeon / Hearst. The B&B seems clean and decorated basically and nicely in a lacey floral motif. Water/cookies greeted our late arrival. Nice sitting area/creek in the back. Innkeeper seemed warm and made a point of remembering everyone's name.

However, we think this B&B was nothing too special; it felt very much like a business and too short on charm. (You notice the little things that ruin the mood... Generic toiletries, Costco-brand bottled water, tip envelope, etc.) House was too cold in January and the self-contained fake fireplaces in rooms were tacky and didn't work well. Rooms in front of main house located close to street, so traffic noise was an issue. Well-hyped breakfast could have redeemed the place, but turned out to be an ultra disappointment: no choice in the breakfast, which meant that my cheese-adverse wife still was stuck with a runny cheese omelette. I thought breakfast was ok, but generic and forgettable. This place has a cookbook and was declared "best breakfast"? Hmmmmm. We won't be back.

Consistently Wonderful

from anonymous

We have stayed at the Olallieberry Inn numerous times. Our last stay was in July 2005. The warmth and hospitality of the Olallieberry Inn staff is unrivaled. Each visit to the inn is like coming home to family. The convenient location of the inn makes it effortless to browse, shop, and dine in the lovely establishments located in Cambria's East Village. While walking into town is tempting, the cozy charm of the inn's cottage gardens and the sounds of the Santa Rosa Creek in the background make it difficult to leave the relaxing environment of the inn. The morning always begins with a wonderful gourmet breakfast. For example, breakfast on any given morning can include fresh squeezed juice, fresh fruit cup, crème brulée French toast, turkey-apple sausage, fresh fruit muffins, and beverage. The ample portions will keep you full until dinner. Prior to your evening dining, you'll be treated to a wonderful selection of hors d'oeuvres and wines from the local wineries. Again, the portions are generous and delightfully presented. The rooms at the inn are clean, cozy, and comfortable. The fireplace in the rooms takes the chill off of the cool coastal evenings while providing a romantic ambiance. The staff at the inn is genuinely warm and always ready to make your stay in Cambria a memorable experience. The Olallieberry Inn is one of our favorite B&B's. We are never disappointed and always come home ready to plan for our next trip to the Olallieberry Inn.

Oozing with charm!

from jslowboat

What a great B & B! small, quaint, with an outstanding breakfast. The Innkeepers are friendly and accomodating. very charming decor and the garden out back is so relaxing. We will definitely be back!

We loved the Olallieberry Inn!

from anonymous

I stayed here with my teenage daughter on a trek up the Pacific Coast Highway. Darling town, cute B&B with an amazing garden that edges the woods and creek. We stayed here because of the convenience for Hearst Castle and wished we had allowed more time to explore Cambria's antique shops and Moonstone Beach. The wine and hors d'oeuvres were excellent as was the breakfast. My only suggestion is to relocate the courtesy phone. We had to call for Triple A (keys in the trunk!) and it was awkward during the breakfast seatings to disturb everyone.

They have a cookbook coming out - based on our stay we'll be back and I'll be sure to pick it up!

Perfect Weekend Getaway

from ama

We stayed here for a short weekend getaway and had a wonderful time. The Inn keepers were very welcoming, the house was decorated wonderfully, and the breakfast was very delicious (they have 2 seatings, and the next day's breakfast is always posted). There's a really nice garden out in the back, they have board games/magazines and lots of information on activities and resturants in town.

The best part is they have an wine/appetizer hour in the afternoon, which was a great way to meet other guests and gave us a nice opportunity to relax before dinner.

We found Cambria to be a very nice little town (cute shops and very good resturants). Also, very close to Hearst Castle. We also made a side trip to go wine tasting/touring at Paso Robles, which was about 30-45 minutes away. Moonstone Beach was also a nice place to take a stroll. A very good weekend getaway spot and bed and breakfast inn. We recommend this place to all our friends.

Relax at the Olallieberry Inn

from anonymous

Perfect getaway for relaxing for a couple of days...

Excellent breakfast and nice attention to details.

Would definately return.

Considerate Innkeepers at Olallieberry

from gaelC

We had a short overnight stay at this charming inn in this very charming town. Cambria is exactly halfway between LA and San Francisco, and we stopped there on our way to the Garlic Festival in Gilroy. The gardens are lovely in the backyard...great place to relax before dinner. The innkeepers were very accommodating...even to the point of preparing us a breakfast before their usual breakfast time. We really appreciated that so much! I'd love to stay there again!

A Timeless setting....

from anonymous

We loved our stay at the Ollalieberry Inn! Relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, wonderful food, and a friendly staff. It's only a minutes walk to Old Town Cambria. The rooms are clean and beautifully decorated. You can sit on the back porch and overlook the gardens while sipping a glass wine and tasting yummy ordevours. It's definatley a vacation to remember!

TripAdvisor Reviews Olallieberry Inn Cambria

Outstanding

Travel Blogs from Cambria

... by a magician at the table whilst we learnt all about the ollalieberry (a cross between a loganberry and a youngberry in case you're interested, loganberries being a cross between blackberry and raspberry but even the waitress has no clue what a youngberry is...). Of course we had to order the famous ollalieberry pie which was awesome. Loved Cambria and the motel experience despite the noise of Andy snoring all ...

... and rebuilding as the whim took him. he saw something on hits travels and if he liked it, incorporated it into the building. the finished result is a bizarre mix of mediterranean building styles and art pieces from across spain, italy and the latin world. Is it impressive? yes - but when you consider that he started building this huge castle at a time when most of europe was reeling after the effects of the great war, his expenditure seems a little crude. in ...

... a total drive of 233 km for the day. The hotel is just next to the hotel, but the wind and the returned fog did not allow for a walk at the beach. So after a complementary afternoon tea and check in we headed into town to buy dinner. As always it took us quite a while to decide in the supermarket. Too many unfamiliar foods had to be looked at, making it difficult to make up our minds. Back in our hotel room we switched on the gas fireplace, ate our foods and watched ...

... seen for miles as we approached the turn off. No wonder it was cheaper than the Motels downtown. Motel 5 ....sorry 6, was as expected and we headed out for food. Morro (Spanish for cement) Bay was quaint, fish restaurants and wine bars. All basking in the splendour of the overshadowing three towers. Food at the Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant was amazing, tognazzini apparently is Spanish for tower ...